Swimming toy



Oct. 27, 1964 L. LUCAS 3,153,879

SWIMMING TOY Filed April 25, 1961 INVENTOR. Lzzczerz Lucas United States Patent Lucien Lucas, Grands Tour, Rue Gabriel Houdard,

bllelun, France, assignor of one-half to Rene G. Le

Vans, Angeles, Qahf.

ZFiied Apr. 25, 196i, Ser. No. 195,460

priority, application France May 14, 1960 This invention relates to a toy and more particularly to a toy that swims the free style or American crawl on top of the water.

It is an object of this invention to produce a swimming toy. It is a related object to produce a toy of the type described in which the feet go through the motions of a flutter kick while the arm swing in a free style manner over a body of water.

It is another object to produce a swimming toy of the type described which is sturdy in construction and simple in operation whereby swimming movements are efidciently produced and executed for propelling the toy across the water with a free style stroke.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will hereinafter appear and for purposes of illustration, but not of limitation, embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which FIGURE 1 is a schematic elevational view from the front side of a swimming toy embodying the features of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of the drive mechanism shown in FIGURE 1 for translation of rotary motion to a reciprocating motion for translation to the feet to stimulate the flutter kick;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged perspective view of another portion of the drive mechanism for translation of the reciprocating motion developed by the means in FIG- URE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged perspective view of another mechanical means for the translation of the rotary motion fiom the drive to the reciprocating motion of a kick.

The toy is constructed to simulate a human being having a head portion 10, a body portion 12, arms 14 and 16, and legs 18 and 20. The elements can be constructed of metal, wood, rubber, plastics or the like, which, if formed of metal, wood or plastics should be formed sufficiently hollow to float upon the water.

The arms 14 and 16 are formed separate and apart from the body portion but are connected at their upper ends to the body portion adjacent the shoulder by a continuous horizontally disposed cross-shaft 22 by which the arms are supported for complete rotational movement about the shaft 22 as a pivot. The ends of the shaft are turned to extend substantially perpendicularly in opposite directions to position the arms 180 apart and to cause the arms to rotate with the rod in a free style or crawl stroke.

The cross-shaft 22 is supported intermediate its ends between laterally spaced apart side frame members 24 and 26 secured to the front side of the body portion. Rotational movement is imparted to the cross-shaft 22 and thereby to the arms 14 and 16 by a driving means, as represented in the drawings by a spring 28 in the form of a coil spring, leaf spring or the like and adapted to be tensioned through a key operated winding stem 38 and which operates to cause rotational movement of a driving pinion 32 keyed to the stems 30 which is tensioned by the spring. The gears of the driving pinion 32 mesh with a smaller pinion gear 34 keyed to the cross-shaft 22 for causing rotational movement of the shaft and the arms responsive to the rotational movement of the large driving pinion. Thus, the arms are caused to swing parallel to the body portion and about a horizontal axis in the free style stroke.

The driving pinion 32 also operates through suitable connection concurrently to cause the legs 18 and 2t) to kick back and forth in a flutter kick. For this purpose, the teeth of the driving pinion 32 mesh with another pinion gear 36 which is smaller in diameter than the arm pinion gear and which is keyed for rotational movement with another horizontally disposed cross-shaft 38 mounted for rotational movement between a portion of the side frame members 24 and 26 spaced downwardly from the cross-shaft 22.

Referring now to FIGURE 2, the cross-shaft 38 mounts oppositely extending eccentrics 40 and 42 at each end. Each eccentric is provided with a stud 44 oifset from the center of rotation and each stud provides a rotatable support for one end of a connecting rod 46 to convert rotary motion of the cross-shaft 38 into reciprocating motion of the connecting rods 46, but with the reciprocation taking place in opposite directions by reasons of the oifset from the center of rotation.

Each connecting link 46 is pivotally connected at its opposite end onto rocker plates 48 which are keyed at spaced apart portions onto axle members Sit. Each leg 18 and 2% is provided with a separate axle because the rotation of the axles in opposite directions about a common axis is required for the flutter kick. For this purpose, inwardly extending portions of the axles project through suitable aligned journals in the side plates 24 and 26 and into a fitting tubular member 52 extending cross-wise between the side arm members for support. Thus, the axles are separately supported for rotational movement and they are rotated back and forth about their axis by the reciprocating movement of the connecting rods 46. The ends 54 of the axles are turned at about right angles or otherwise provided with means for mounting the legs whereby the reciprocating rotational movement imparted to the axles by the connecting rods causes fluttering movement of the legs in opposite directions to simulate the flutter kick. Clips 56 mounted within grooves on the axle portions, adjacent the side frame members, operate to hold the axles in their mounted relation with the bearing support.

When the arms, legs and body portions are of hollow construction, it is desirable to provide a water-tight seal P wherever a rod element extends through to the outside.

Such water sealing can be achieved by rubber washers 6t) glued or otherwise sealed to the interior of the hol low elements about the opening.

It will be apparent from the foregoing brief discription that the rotational movement of the driving pinion 32 operates simultaneously to swing the arms through 360, but with the arms spaced about 180 apart, while the legs are oppositely rocked up and down about the hip portion as a pivot to provide a flutter kick thereby to propel the body rapidly through the water by a conventional free style or American crawl.

FIGURE 4 shows another means for reproducing a flutter kick from rotary motion of the pinion drive 32. In this modification, the cross-shaft 38 mounts a crank arm 62 at each end with a pin 64 oifset in opposite directions to be received in sliding engagement with elongate slots 66 in rocker arms 68 keyed at their opposite ends upon the axle portions 59. As the pinion gear 36 and cross-shaft 38 is rotated by the driving pinion 32, the pins 54 in the slotted rocker arms are rotated about the cross-shaft as their axis for displacement within the slots 66 to cause rocking movement of the rocker arms 68 about their axle pivot. Such back and forth rocking movement of the rocker arms is transmitted directly to the axles and to the legs supported on the opposite ends thereof.

The leg motion can be augmented by pivotally supporting the feet 7 8 on the legs at about the ankle portion as by means of pins 72 extending crosswise between a yoke portion 74 on the lower end of the legs for an extension 76 from the upper end of the foot portion and through which the pin 72 extends pivotally to support the foot for limited rocking movement. In practice, the foot portions will be displaced rearwardly during the downward stroke and forwardly during the upward stroke by reason of the resistance provided by the water, thereby more effectively to displace water for maximum speed.

It wil be apparent from the foregoing that I have provided a swimming toy which embodies all of the movements for most efficient water displacement in a free style stroke, thereby to maximize the speed capable of development in the release of stored energy. It will be understood that various changes may be made in the details of construction, arrangement and operation without departing from the spirit of the invention, especially as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A swimmer toy comprising a body and head portion, arm portions and leg portions, a cross-shaft rotatably mounted on the front side of the body portion, means mounting the arms on the ends of said cross-shaft to extend 180 apart for rotational movement with the crossshait as the axis, separate axles mounted for rotational movement on the front side of the body portion in crosswise ali nment, means mounting the legs on the opposite end portions of said axles to extend downwardly from the body portion, a driving means on the body portion, an operative connection between said driving means and the cross-shaft for imparting rotational movement thereto, and another operative connection between said driving means and said axles for transmitting rotational movement from said driving means to reciprocating rotational movement of said axles whereby the legs are rocked back and forth with the axles as a pivot, said operative connection between the driving means and theaxles comprising a driving pinion mounted for rotational movement by the driving means, a second cross-shaft mounted for rotational movement on the body portion, a second pinion keyed to the second cross-shaft and positioned in meshing relationship with the driving pinion, eccentrics on the ends of the second cross-shaft, connecting links pivotally secured at one end onto said eccentrics whereby rotational movement of the eccentrics about the second crossshaft as the axis is transmitted to reciprocating linear movement to said connecting links, a plate rigid with each of the axles, and a pivotal connection between the other end portion of said connecting links and a portion of the plate olfset from the axles whereby reciprocating linear movement of the connecting links is transmitted into reciprocating rotational movement of the axles.

2. A swimmer toy as claimed in claim 1, in which the eccentrics are positioned apart from the cross-shaft.

3. A swimmer toy comprising a body and head portion, arm portions and leg portions, a cross-shaft rotatably mounted on the front side of the body portion, means mounting the arms on the ends of said cross-shaft to extend 180 apart for rotational movement with the cross-shaft as the axis, separate axles mounted for rotational movement on the front side of the body portion in crosswise alignment, means mounting the legs on the opposite end portions of said axlesto extend downwardly from the body portion, a driving means on the body portion, an operative connection between said driving means and the cross-shaft for imparting rotational movement thereto, and another operative connection between said driving means and said axles for transmitting rotational movement from said driving means to reciprocating rotational movement of said axles whereby the legs are rocked back and forth with the axles as a pivot, said operative connection between the driving means and the axles comprising a pinion mounted for rotational movement by the driving means, a second cross-shaft mounted for rotational movement on the body portion, a second pinion on the second cross-shaft in meshing relationship with the driving pinion for imparting rotational movement from the driving pinion to the cross-shaft, elongate rocker arms secured at one end to the axles and having an elongate slot in the other end portion, studs rotatable with the second cross-shaft and ofiset from the axis of rotation and operative within slots of the rocker arms for imparting rocking movement to the rocker arms about the axles as a pivot in response to rotational movement of the second cross-shaft.

4. A swimmer toy as claimed in claim 3, in which the studs extend eccentrically about 180 apart from the cross-shaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 140,259 Eaton June 24, 1873 1,258,963 Troje Mar. 12, 1918 1,727,818 Eyring Sept. 10, 1929 2,229,175 Johnson J Ian. 21, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS 645,862 Germany June 4, 1937 445,703 Italy Feb. 24, 1949 447,125 Italy Apr. 4, 1949 

1. A SWIMMER TOY COMPRISING A BODY AND HEAD PORTION, ARM PORTIONS AND LEG PORTIONS, A CROSS-SHAFT ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON THE FRONT SIDE OF THE BODY PORTION, MEANS MOUNTING THE ARMS ON THE ENDS OF SAID CROSS-SHAFT TO EXTEND 180* APART FOR ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT WITH THE CROSSSHAFT AS THE AXIS, SEPARATE AXLES MOUNTED FOR ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT ON THE FRONT SIDE OF THE BODY PORTION IN CROSSWISE ALIGNMENT, MEANS MOUNTING THE LEGS ON THE OPPOSITE END PORTIONS OF SAID AXLES TO EXTEND DOWNWARDLY FROM THE BODY PORTION, A DRIVING MEANS ON THE BODY PORTION, AN OPERATIVE CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID DRIVING MEANS AND THE CROSS-SHAFT FOR IMPARTING ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT THERETO, AND ANOTHER OPERATIVE CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID DRIVING MEANS AND SAID AXLES FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT FROM SAID DRIVING MEANS TO RECIPROCATING ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT OF SAID AXLES WHEREBY THE LEGS ARE ROCKED BACK AND FORTH WITH THE AXLES AS A PIVOT, SAID OPERATIVE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE DRIVING MEANS AND THE AXLES COMPRISING A DRIVING PINION MOUNTED FOR ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT BY THE DRIVING MEANS, A SECOND CROSS-SHAFT MOUNTED FOR ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT ON THE BODY PORTION, A SECOND PINION KEYED TO THE SECOND CROSS-SHAFT AND POSITIONED IN MESHING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE DRIVING PINION, ECCENTRICS ON THE ENDS OF THE SECOND CROSS-SHAFT, CONNECTING LINKS PIVOTALLY SECURED AT ONE END ONTO SAID ECCENTRICS WHEREBY ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT OF THE ECCENTRICS ABOUT THE SECOND CROSSSHAFT AS THE AXIS IS TRANSMITTED TO RECIPROCATING LINEAR MOVEMENT TO SAID CONNECTING LINKS, A PLATE RIGID WITH EACH OF THE AXLES, AND A PIVOTAL CONNECTION BETWEEN THE OTHER END PORTION OF SAID CONNECTING LINKS AND A PORTION OF THE PLATE OFFSET FROM THE AXLES WHEREBY RECIPROCATING LINEAR MOVEMENT OF THE CONNECTING LINKS IS TRANSMITTED INTO RECIPROCATING ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT OF THE AXLES. 